Not only is it decorative. . . but more importantly if gives added protection against getting spiked! Today's players also stash their drugs under there.

Keeps a sliding players spikes from catching in your laces!

FOR PROTION

To keep you from catching your spikes in the other foot's laces.

I always thought it was to keep dirt from getting in your shoes. It does give you an extra layer of protection against spikes too.

Yes, WHY ??

Someone else's spike could get caught in the shoelaces without the loop. If a spike get caught, a player could fall, resulting in a bad play or possibly a serious injury.

Keeps the laces from snagging on something and coming untied.

Whats PROTION?
(one of the first answers sites PROTION)

mostly for looks

so, one person says it's protection to keep someones spikes from getting stuck in your shoelaces, and everyone just blindly agrees?

Think about it.

How is a thin layer of leather gonna' keep a 200 pound players spike from puncturing your foot? Easy answer. It's not!

So, what IS it for? Hmm...

I think it's there to keep little ants from crawling into your shoe.

To prevent the laces from coming out and causing you to trip.

so they can hold the laces up some while there running and they want trip over them.

It is to prevent the laces from becoming untied, tripping the player when running and to prevent another players spikes from getting caught in the laces.

To keep your laces up so you don't trip.

By the way "baseball shoes" are called cleats.

to keep their laces from untying